Where’s the Beef in President Trump’s ‘Buy American’?

Yesterday, President Trump issued an executive order pushing for a renewed effort to buy American manufacturing products and restore jobs for American working men and women. The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) applauds the president’s initiative, but unfortunately, those who want to purchase U.S. beef and pork are unable to identify it due to the repeal of Country of Origin Labeling.

While American consumers have a fundamental right to know where other products are made or processed and therefore can choose the country of origin for their purchasing choice for their clothes, their shoes and their seafood, they do not have the same fundamental right to have a choice to buy American beef or pork.

OCM calls on the President of the United States to remember that agriculture is the economic driver for rural America and to reinstate Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for beef and pork products.

OCM founding member Fred Stokes offered the following statement: “Over a year ago, Congress repealed COOL for beef and pork, and a year ago calf prices dropped by over $500.00 per head. That is not only money out of the farmer’s pocket, but it is money that will not be spent in rural communities. Farmers, truck dealerships, farm supply stores and every small business in rural communities loses. Consumers have a fundamental right to choose American beef and pork and rural communities deserve to have their share of the consumers’ dollars.”